MoVapes Brooklyn has opened at 1413 Bedford Avenue. The store features all types of electronic cigarette equipment, accessories and nicotine juices. The store has seating and encourages people to sample all it's juices free of charge.

The entity MoVapes has just told CB8 that they would like their support for a beer and wine liquor lic.

They will state their business plan at the SLA & Sidewalk Café Review Committee, which will meet on Monday, March 3, 2014 at 6:30 PM at CNR-Center Light Health Care Center (727 Classon Avenue)

...this should be interesting, as it will directly challenge the ban on the use of cigarettes in bars, by arguing that electronic cigarettes (aka Vapes) are not the same a cigarettes, because they do not emit smoke.....

The application requests support to serve beer and wine in their garden.

MoVapes garden, smack in the middle of this interior block, will be a nightmare for nearby residents who are used to having a good night's sleep. It's all three, four-story townhouses (i.e., residential housing) along that stretch of Rogers. Take a look at the Google satellite view:

--> "In December, the city banned e-cigarettes in bars, restaurants, parks and other public places where smoking is prohibited. Smoking, however, is allowed in businesses where at least 10 percent of revenue comes from tobacco and tobacco-related product sales, according to state public health law.

More than 60 percent of MoVapes' revenue comes from e-cigarette-related sales, Modugu said.

MoVapes' application will be considered by the full community board on March 13. It would then be sent to the State Liquor Authority for final approval." <--

I think they sell mainly vaporizors, which as I've learned recently,more for smoking pot the 'healthy' way than maybe for nicotine addicts. So they may not actually be targeting just the newcomers. I smell a LOT of pot smoke in the neighborhood, and its not coming from the kids at Crown Inn.

I would assume though that they would be able to smoke them in the garden/patio though? I imagine if you were selling the stuff you would want to be able to sample and the combination of smoking and drinking would probably still be profitable. And vaping would certainly be expected so no one would be subject to disgusted glares by the other patrons.

There were a few concerns raised by the committee and residents in attendance. These concerns included ensuring that alcohol was not served to anyone under the age of 21, that the proprietor ensure that at least 60% of his revenue must come from tobacco products to permit indoor smoking, and the potential for noise.

There were no police objections to the application and the committee voted to support the beer and wine application with the following conditions and hopes that the full Board support its recommendation:

a. No outdoor amplified sound

b. Use of soft, noise abating materials for all backyard surfaces

c. Hours of Backyard operation same as for establishment

Mr. Witherwax clarified that the space only sold electronic cigarettes and that is no actual tobacco being consumed in the space. Mr. Bunkeddeko asked if the policy is currently BYOB and was informed by the owner that it is not, and that in the future, the business will primarily be retail sale of vapor products. Mr. Bailey made a motion to support the committee’s recommendation. The motion was seconded by Ms. Duke. There were 14 in favor, 13 opposed, with 5 abstentions. Due to the fact that the number of no votes and abstentions were more than the number of yes votes recorded, the item did not pass.

So, if MoVapes was to try to pursue a liquor license in order to become a merely a bar (one without vaping), it would not have the Community Board's support. This makes the process more expensive and time consuming, and might reduce its chance of success.

As a result of the above, MoVapes only legal business appears to be selling Vapes and equipment for use off site, or in the backyard.

It's brief life as a Vapes lounge has been made illegal.

It's attempt to get an alcohol lic was made difficult.

However, it signed a lease for a large, costly, space based on the belief that the above could happen.